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Marine copepods, vital zooplankton, transport microplastics in oceans. This study quantifies their role, revealing consistent gut passage times and significant vertical microplastic flux, crucial for ecological impact models.

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Area of Science:

  • Marine Ecology
  • Environmental Science
  • Biogeochemical Cycling

Background:

  • Zooplankton, particularly copepods, are increasingly recognized for their role in marine microplastic distribution.
  • Copepods act as microplastic reservoirs, potentially facilitating biological transport within marine ecosystems.
  • Accurate quantification of copepod-mediated microplastic fluxes is essential for understanding marine plastic cycles.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To precisely measure microplastic gut passage time and ingestion intervals in marine copepods using real-time visualization.
  • To establish a quantitative framework for assessing copepod-mediated microplastic fluxes.
  • To evaluate the contribution of copepods to the vertical transport of microplastics in marine environments.

Main Methods:

  • Exposure of the copepod Calanus helgolandicus to fluorescent polystyrene beads, polyamide fibers, and polyamide fragments.
  • Real-time visualization techniques to monitor microplastic ingestion and gut passage.
  • Varying food concentrations to assess their effect on microplastic processing.

Main Results:

  • Copepods exhibited consistent microplastic gut passage times (median: 40 minutes).
  • Food concentration and microplastic shape did not significantly affect gut passage time.
  • Estimated microplastic fluxes suggest copepods are key drivers of vertical microplastic transport (∼271 microplastics m⁻³ day⁻¹).

Conclusions:

  • This study provides robust estimates of copepod gut passage time and ingestion intervals.
  • Copepods play a significant role in the vertical transport of microplastics in marine ecosystems.
  • Findings enhance the integration of copepod-driven processes into oceanographic models for improved microplastic transport predictions and impact assessments.